Any California driver who’s been annoyed by the routine “Do you know why I pulled you over?” question asked by police at traffic stops will be happy to learn that they’re less likely to hear that thanks to a law that took effect at the beginning of the year. Now,...
Criminal Defense
The basics of criminal defense
Criminal defense is the art of using argumentation to disprove a prosecutor's case and the evidence they are aiming to use against a defendant. If you have been accused of criminal wrongdoing, the prosecution has the burden of proving you committed the offense beyond...
Police officers can lie to you
If you’re talking to a police officer, you may assume that everything they tell you is going to be the truth. You may even think that they are obligated to be honest with you because they are in a position of power. After all, the police are certainly asking you to be...
Should you invoke your right to remain silent?
The right to remain silent is a fundamental principle in the American legal system, rooted in the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution. This right protects people during legal proceedings or police interrogations. Understanding its applications is crucial for anyone...
Why might breath test results be wrong?
Breath tests that are used to measure blood alcohol concentration (BAC) can sometimes produce inaccurate results. This is problematic because these tests are often used in court as evidence of impairment when a driver was allegedly operating a vehicle with a BAC over...
What’s a subpoena? What do you do if you get one?
In criminal cases, a subpoena is a legal document issued by a court or law enforcement agency that compels an individual to provide testimony or produce documents or other evidence related to a criminal investigation. Subpoenas come in various forms, but they all...
Post-DUI arrests can lead to license suspension and revocation
Driver’s license suspension or revocation represents serious, potentially life-changing offenses. For most people, reliance on a motor vehicle is second nature. Yet, when the privilege to operate one is taken away after a drunk driving arrest, the consequences can...
Don’t get fooled into being a (money) mule
The internet is a hotbed of fraud that ensnares unwary individuals in scams and schemes every day. The aim of scammers is to separate honest people from their hard-earned dollars. That’s bad enough, of course. But there are even worse consequences that can arise from...
When is “mistaken identity” a viable defense?
Being accused of a crime can be devastating -- and it does not get any better if your arrest and arraignment were based on mistaken identity. While advances in technology have improved the accuracy with which most crimes are resolved, mistaken identity still happens....
Is it fair to say that everyone breaks the law?
If you ask someone to define which individuals are criminals and which ones are not, they may tell you that criminals are people who break the law. These could be very serious laws, like murder, or more minor laws, like shoplifting. There are also plenty of offenses...